hough biometrics, the science of measuring biological characteristics, has been used quite extensively in physical and information security infrastructures, it has long been an industry largely shrouded in secrecy.

Companies or organisations that employ biometric authentication or identification systems are generally loathe to discuss these installations - for much the same reasons as motivated the installations in the first place.

Developers of biometric software and hardware also do not trumpet their wares on a very broad marketing level. After all, with the extensive expense of research and development within this industry, it only makes sense to target specific market segments.

Lifetime use#Big money#Unique#Opportunity knocks#An eyeful "The patented iris scanning technology can be accurately used from the age of three until roughly five minutes after death.#Biometric revenues are expected to grow from $399.4 million in 2000 to $523.9 million in 2001, with 2005 revenues surpassing $1.9 billion#The iris tears in a completely unique fashion, to the point where your left iris and your right iris are completely different from each other.#If Iridian can successfully introduce an affordable, reasonably-sized iris recognition device, it may seize market share from more biometric vendors in other disciplines.#The synopsis of iris recognition technology has always been ‘highest accuracy, but relatively expensive and unwieldy'." Theunis Rautenbach, technology director, Mantis Networks#International Biometric Group, market report, 2001-2005#Theunis Rautenbach, technology director, Mantis Networks#International Biometric Group, market report, 2001-2005#International Biometric Group, market report, 2001-2005

Traditionally, these segments have been the upper echelons within government and military sites, financial services institutions, even the server rooms of Internet service providers.

But with the 11 September terrorist attacks in the US came a sudden keenly focused media interest. The questions of whether stricter security controls at airports, and use of other applications such as facial recognition software to seek out known criminals or terrorists in crowds, were raised. The technological feasibility of such options is now being investigated by a number of airports around the world, and civil liberties movements around the world are still debating the resultant privacy issues.

One thing is certain - the share prices of listed biometrics companies sky-rocketed following the attacks, and the industry which before merely operated in the wings of security applications, is now clearly receiving higher profile reports than ever before.

This feature provides a snapshot of the biometrics industry as it currently stands, and discusses the variety of biometric applications currently available to South African companies.

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